At exactly 12:03 am, EDT, on Saturday, September 23rd, the
sun crossed the celestial equator on its journey south for the winter. In
Scientific terms, the autumnal equinox occurred when the ecliptic and the
celestial equator intersected. Although this journey has happened billions of
times before, itÕs worth noting. At exactly 12:04 am, EDT, autumn began.

For most of us, particularly those with school-aged
children, autumn started on September 5th when schools across the country
opened their doors for another year. Gone were the careful, lazy days of
summer, replaced with the ardent routine of homework, packaged lunches and
making it to the bus on time. Evenings are now filled with meetings, practices
and other commitments and lives have returned to their pre-summer busy. With it
all comes an increased urgency. With autumn upon us, can winter be far behind?

ItÕs a shame really. The autumnal equinox is literally about
balance. It marks the time of year when our days and nights are dealt out in
equal portions; when light and darkness take equal turns. ItÕs about the sun going
down in time for little ones to go to sleep at a reasonable hour; itÕs about
cool grey mornings of serenity before the sun jangles us fully awake.

ItÕs about fulfillment. The summerÕs furious growing season
is coming to an end. FarmerÕs Markets and roadside produce stands are bursting
with all good things grown from the Earth. Tiny seeds, planted back in the
early months of spring, warmed by the sun and kissed by the rain, have exploded
into food for us. After a little more than half-a-century on this planet, I
still cannot fathom this incredible process. Life from dirt, a seed, sunlight
and water. ThatÕs a miracle.

ItÕs also about maturity. This is the season of doing
things: moving forward, improving oneself, taking courses, learning something
new. ItÕs somewhat ironic that this season of balance seems to also remind us
that life is a constant struggle to maintain some kind of equilibrium. Almost
as soon as we reach a level of comfort, time steals it away from us, and once
again we find ourselves scurrying to find a balance in our lives.

That struggle is particularly difficult for me this year.
This past summer I lost my father. It was my first experience with losing a
parent, and after my grief began to subside, I realized that his death also
marked a dramatic change in my status. In generational terms, IÕm now at the
head of the pack, the next one up to bat.

The fact that my fatherÕs birthday, September 23rd, fell on
the autumn equinox this year is a bittersweet coincidence that is not lost on me.
As long as we have parents, we can live in that eternal sunshine of endless
summer. Their passing marks our own very personal transition into the autumn of
our lives and bears witness to the fact that in the eternal changing of the
seasons, one day they will stop altogether.

I take heart, however, that at my age, my father had just
started his career as an extreme athlete. He took up marathon running at 52 and
celebrated his 60th birthday by completing the grueling Hawaii Ironman. In his
70s, he made the Guinness Book of Records when he and his equally aged team
mates successfully completed the worldÕs most grueling bike race, the 4,675
kilometer Ride Across America (RAMM). Last year, he celebrated what was to be
his very last birthday by cycling 80 kilometers, one for every year of his
life.

The greatest lesson that I take from my father as I enter
the autumn of my own life – the lessons that we all must learn to take to
heart – is that regardless of where we are on the timeline, regardless of
the season of our life, every day is a perfect gift. Every time we open our
eyes we have an opportunity to celebrate the miracle of life – not just
our own, but the life and the seasons of our garden planet. Enjoy.